CAPUTO: Red Wings need Thursday's win

Itís difficult to discern, really, the turning point of any Stanley Cup playoff series until it is completed.

But even given the early stage of the Red Wingsí opening-round set against Anaheim, the importance of their 5-4 overtime victory Thursday canít be emphasized enough.

It wasnít just the win itself. It is how it occurred. The Red Wings took 3-0 and 4-1 leads. They lost a 3-goal advantage with less with 13 minutes remaining in the game. Anaheim, which won the series opener, tied it to force overtime.

The Red Wings looked discombobulated, collectively appearing like a boxer after taking an unexpected and crushing late-round sock to the temple, while carrying a wide lead on the scorecard.

On the power play, the Red Wings turned the tables to start overtime and scored quickly.

Momentum lost. Momentum gained. Well, at least for one game. It wonít mean nearly as much if the Red Wings donít win Game 3 Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena.

If the Red Wings had gone down two games to none, losing the second game by blowing a big lead, the series would have all but been lost. Now, the Red Wings have the home ice advantage after getting a split in Anaheim. It was a huge goal in overtime by one of the Red Wingsí young guns, Gustav Nyquist.

There are more hopeful signs surrounding the Red Wings than doubtful ones as Game 3 approaches.

Perhaps the most important is a couple Red Wing players, who become a source of persistent complaints from their fans this season, made key plays - Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen.

Itís been forgotten Filppula had more points in the 2011-12 season than Alexander Ovechkin, or has played so well internationally for Finland. Filppula is an excellent skater and does understand two-way responsibility. Yet, he goes through long spans in which he doesnít score - a situation that especially came to the forefront this regular season. However, he made a brilliant play on the winning goal, dragging the puck skillfully in position to feed the game winner to Nyquist on a silver platter. Filppula is eligible for free agency this summer. He has been a solid player for seven full seasons in Detroit. This past regular season was his worst. However, the play setting up the game-winner Thursday was perhaps his best moment. Suddenly, the regular season struggle didnít matter, and the clamoring for Filppula to leave as a free agent, stopped.

As Franzen struggled to score goals throughout most of the regular season, his contract, which runs through 2020, appeared to be an albatross hanging around the franchiseís neck.

The Red Wings reacted much better than anticipated defensively in the aftermath of Nicklas Lidstromís retirement, ranking fifth in the NHL in fewest goals allowed. At times, though, it was painful watching the Red Wings try to score. Franzen was signed long term because of his scorerís touch. Franzen scored a career-high 34 goals in 2009 and had been stellar in the playoffs. He had 13 and 12 goals as Detroit reached the Stanley Cup finals in back-to-back years 2008 and 2009, winning in Ď08. He only had nine playoff goals - total - the next three seasons. Franzen hasnít had another 30-goal regular season since, either.

But he scored the Red Wingsí third and fourth goals Thursday. He nearly tied the game with a late effort in the Game 1 loss of this series.

Franzen had only seven goals this season when he scored seven goals in the Red Wingsí last eight game as they made the playoffs - barely.

There is a lesson learned here. Itís the Red Wings scored five goals and won a key playoff game Thursday. None of them were scored by resident stars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Jimmy Howard didnít have one of his better games in goal.

They won because their forgotten two - Filppula and Franzen - stepped forward in a manner that would have seemed unlikely a month ago.

If they keep it up, the Red Wingsí chances of advancing deep into the playoffs will greatly increase

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for Digital First Media. You can contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98